Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley plans to get one over Leicester's Tom Youngs in Premiership final

Northampton captain Dylan Hartley revealed on Wednesday that he sees the Aviva
Premiership final against Leicester on Saturday as a chance to get one over
on Tom Youngs in the race for the British and Irish Lions No 2 shirt.

Man on a mission: Northampton's Dylan Hartley hopes to play his way into Lions contentionPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

Youngs is in direct opposition to Hartley at Twickenham, the pair reprising the battle that has run throughout this season with the Leicester man edging ahead of the more experienced Hartley during England’s Six Nations campaign.

The two players will join the Lions the day after the Twickenham final prior to departure for Hong Kong and Australia on Monday.

“I see this weekend as a chance to push myself forward,” said Hartley, well aware too that Wales’s Richard Hibbard is in the mix.

“I think there are a few people who think I am in the Lions squad to cover the third hooker place. Like Arnie said: ‘I’ll be back.’ Everyone has their time in the sun and I am here for the long game. I am not done. The sub-plot with Tom is there.

"First and foremost it is a Grand Final, a chance to win a major trophy for your club, but hopefully if I play well for my team then it puts my hand up for the Lions.”

Hartley’s leadership role will be key on Saturday, and perhaps also for the Lions. His experience will be an important factor as the Lions look to gel new combinations in a short space of time.

Youngs has been favoured by England for his ball-carrying presence round the field. However, Hartley showed in Northampton’s unexpected semi-final win against Saracens that he can also play with real venom in openfield.

Saints were fuelled by a sense of injustice that they were dubbed as rank outsiders, effectively written-off in the quest for silverware.

They are happy to acknowledge that they will have to rekindle that feeling if they are to topple favourites Leicester who are in their ninth consecutive final while Northampton are in their first.

“It’s been the story of our season so far, proving people wrong,” Hartley said.

“We have the underdogs tag to motivate us, the fact too that it’s been an up-and-down season as well as wanting to send off some out of players who are leaving with a win. You go through thick and thin with these lads and you don’t want this weekend to be one of those heartbreak games.”